"AAP 230 Seats, BJP 20": Arvind Kejriwal Predicts Delhi Civic Body Poll Result

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal today predicted that his party will win an overwhelming majority with 230 seats in the 250-seat Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), where elections are scheduled to be held on December 4.

Speaking at a Townhall event organised by NDTV in New Delhi today, Mr Kejriwal said: "I predict a win for the Aam Aadmi Party. AAP will get 230-plus seats. BJP will get less than 20."

He said in Gujarat too, where Assembly elections are scheduled for December 1 and 5, AAP will win a majority.

With the issue of keeping the city clean once again taking centre stage just ahead of the MCD elections, Mr Kejriwal said if man can reach the moon, then clearing out garbage is no big deal.

The Delhi Chief Minister said: "Today, we have reached the moon. So what are mountains of garbage compared to that?"

Garbage heaps in Delhi is a major issue over which all the three main parties, AAP, BJP and Congress, have been sparring for a while.

Speaking at the NDTV Townhall, Mr Kejriwal emphasised that to get work done and ensure adequate civic amenities, all that is required is a good "intent".

"We need the intent to do good work. That is all that is needed - neeyat (intent)," he said.

Mr Kejriwal, who is also AAP's National Convenor, said: "I have asked for five years to clean the Yamuna, starting from 2020. So, I have time till 2025."

"If I can't do it, throw me out," he added.

Last Friday, AAP's Delhi unit Convenor Gopal Rai had flagged off 35 campaign vehicles, displaying miniature "garbage mountains" to highlight alleged mismanagement of garbage removal by the BJP-run MCD.

The party said it would display models of the three landfill sites in Delhi to highlight the BJP's "garbage mismanagement" during its 15-year-old governance of the civic body.

The BJP has been in power in MCD for three straight terms.

BJP's East Delhi MP and former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir had earlier taken strike against Mr Kejriwal over the Ghazipur landfill that falls in his constituency, accusing the AAP boss of speaking about it only for political reasons ahead of Delhi's municipal elections.

"I've been to the Ghazipur mountain eight times since 2019, and the Chief Minister did not come even after I asked him again and again," he had tweeted in Hindi.